U-269 original photo and U-515 related Feldpost letter

[Jan]

Since I saw the movie "Das Boot" in the early 1980´s I have had a fascination with the "U-Boot Waffe". Finding affordable solid items has however been difficult so I have narrowed down my collecting to photos and Feldpost from U boat crews.

I recently accuired this very much "Das Boot" like photo and fp letter that i thought I´d like to share with you. I will add better shots of the picture and the letter itself when I have the items in hand. Just beginning my research here so I´m thankful for any info and correction you mignt have.

The picture shows Oberleutnant (later Kapitänleutnant) zur See Karl-Heinrich Harlfinger arriving from an U-boat mission in 1943. The female is supposed to be his fiancee (according to the original text on the back of the photo) but this can not be confirmed. Notice the bearded and happy crew like straight out from the film "Das Boot". U 246 was sunk by depth charges on June 25th 1944 by HMS Bickerton.


The Feldpost letter in it´s original cover is from the 17th of March 1944 attributable to crew member Josef Wanzke serving on the German U-boat U 515. On March 29th U 515 left von Lorient under the command of "Ritterkreuzträger Kapitänleutnant" Werner Henke. On April 9th U 515 was sunk just north of Madeira. The U-boat was frst severly damaged and when it resurfaced hit by artillery fire that killed 16 of the crew including "Matrose Obergefreiter" Josef Wanzke.

Best,

Jan

[toot]

DAS BOOT was one film that kept you on the edge of your seat and rely made you feel for the crew and also that you were there with them. one of the greatest WW 2 films of all time!!!

[Wolfgang Historica]

Great photograph, do you have any U-Boot Portraits?

[Jan]

No not yet. Sent you an email yesterday btw

Best,

Jan

[Paul D]

Great original photo , ive been to the U Boat pens at St Nazaire and Lorient , very impressive .

[The Devil's Bank]

That's a great picture and I wonder how many of the u-boat crewmen survived.

[Wolfgang Historica]

That's a great picture and I wonder how many of the u-boat crewmen survived.

Numbers range from 27,000 to 30,000 crew men out of a 40,000 men whom never came back. A tragic, fatal number.

[Paul D]

About Half the U boat crews were lost , the only other unit whose casualty rates equated to that level in the entire war were RAF Bomber Command .

[Jan]

Below a picture from the Internet with U269 in Narvik (1943).

Researched Kapitänleutnant zur See Karl-Heinrich Harlfinger a bit more and found out that he met a sad end despite not going down with the U-boat.

On the 21st of March 1944, three months before the sinking of U 269, Harlfinger (28) shot himself in Hotel Majestic in St. Nazaire, France.

Best,

Jan

[Jan]

Did some basic backup research for my archive about the Feldpost letter related to U - 515 and came upon these images of her afire and sinking after having been attacked by the U.S. Navy destroyer escorts USS Pope (DE-134), USS Chatelain (DE-149), USS Pillsbury (DE-133) and USS Flaherty (DE-135) on 9 April 1944

Best, Jan